Marker for corn-planters.



No. 682,394. -Pate'h'te'dsept. Io, l90l.

- T. THORPE.

MARKER FOR BURN PLANTEBS.

(Application filed m 31, 1901.;

(No Model.)

NITEDK STATES Parser THOMAS THORPE, OF DECATUR, ILLINOIS.

MARKER FOR CORN-PLANTERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 682,394, datedSeptember 10, 1901.

Application filed May 31,1901.

cation.

This invention relates to longitudinallyshiftable marker-bars having oneach end a marker; and its principal object is to provide simple andeffective means for locking the bars in operative positions andsupporting them out of contact with the ground while turning around ortraveling from one place to another.

A secondary object of the invention is to improve the markers used onthe marker-bars.

The invention is exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, andit is defined in the appended claims.

In the drawings forming part of this specification, Figure 1 is a rearelevation of a marker-bar support, showing the marker-bar therein andrepresenting the conditions that exist when the marker on the left endof the bar is in operative contact with the ground. Fig. 2 is averticalsection through the slotted standards that form bearings for themarkerbar, showing the marker-bar balanced in its supports in a mannerto hold both markers out of contact with the soil. Fig. 3 is a verticalsection through the supports of the marker-bar, showing the conditionsthat exist when the marker on the right end of the bar is in use. Fig.4=is a plan of the markerbar supports and the central part of themarker-bar, the bar being balanced as shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sideelevation of one of the slotted standards through which the marker-baroperates. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the particular form of markerthat I prefer to use on the marker-bar. The marker-bar 1 has notches 2and 3 in its upper surface, such notches being placed one to each sideof the center of the bar. Adjacent to the notches and nearer the ends ofthebar are upwardly-presented stops 18. Markers, as 19, are attached oneto each end of the marker-bar.

The bearings for the marker-bar comprise a pair of standards, as 4,which are slotted vertically from side to side to provide space SerialNo- 62,463. (No model.) i

for the marker-bar. In the drawings the front members of the forkedstandards are designated by at. Each of the standards is also slottedvertically from front to back to give vertical adjustment to the rollers10, on i lowered with relation'to the bolts, so as to bring the upperends of the standards nearer to or farther from the rollers. Detents 6are pivoted one in the upper end of each of the standards. They swingdownward and toward each other, and they are short enough to be out ofcontact with the marker-bar when said bar is resting on both rollers ina horizontal position, as shown in Fig. 2. The detents do not assumevertical positions when at rest, but incline one toward the other attheir lower ends.

The standards are secured to a planterframe, preferably at the rear endthereof, and they are located one on each side of the 1ongitudinalcenter of the planter at equal distances therefrom. The marker-bar isextended through the sidewise slots of the standards, markers areattached to the ends of the bar, and the device is ready for operation.When the marker on the left end of the bar is in use, the stop 12 bearsagainst the right-hand standard, and the detent 6 on such standardengages the notch 2 of the bar. The stop 12 prevents the bar from movingfarther to the left. The detent prevents the bar from moving to theright. Neither the stop nor the detent interferes with the verticalmovement of the bar, and so the marker in contact with the ground ridesalong at a uniform distance from the center of the planter, rising andfalling to accommodate the slight undulations it encounters, and makinga mark in the soil to guide the driver on his return trip. When the endof the field is reached, the driver presses the right end of themarker-bar downward and gives it a slight push to the right at theinstant the bar is lowered out of con- IOO.

tact with the detent. The pressure and the thrust are advisably impartedby the foot of the driver; but in whatever way they are imparted theresult is to cause the marker-bar to travel to the right until theweight of the markers is balanced on the rollers and the bar is at restin a horizontal position, with both markers out of contact with theground. The planter is then turned around into position for a returntrip, and the marker-bar is pushed to the right until the right -handmarker is in contact with the soil and the left end of the marker-barislocked against horizontal motion, as shown in Fig. 3. On reaching theopposite end of the field the bar is forced to the left to balance itwhile turning around, and so the operation continues indefinitely.

The standards may be attached to or built on the planter-frame in anydesirable manner; but in making provision for attaching to old plantersI prefer to attach the standards to a cross-bar 7 and connectthe'crossbar to the planter-frame by means of bolts, as 15, straps,as16, or in any other manner that the construction of the'planter-framesmay make convenient. The standards may be tied together at their upperends by a rod 8 and braced from the cross-bar by a rod 9.

The marker that I prefer to use consists of a shoe, as 19, having asocket 17 to fit onto the end of the marker-bar, a tooth 20 on thebottom of the runner, and a swingable loop 21, that may be extendedbelow the lower edge of the runner or be swung up out of the way, asshown in dotted lines in Fig. 6. The hole 18 provides for connectionwith a stayrope for those who desire to aid the standards in their workof drawing the markers forward.

be swung around when the bolt is loosened.

The loop 21 is bound fast to the shoe of the marker by a bolt 22, and itmay the loop may be turned up, as shown in broken lines in Fig. 6, thusleaving the runner to make the guiding impression, and when thecondition of the soil requires a deeper or plainer mark the loop may beturned into the position shown in solid lines and secured in suchposition by firmly tightening the bolt.

I claim- 1. In a marker for planters, the combination of a pair ofvertically-slotted standards one on each side of the longitudinal centerof the planter, a marker-bar tiltable and longitudinally movable in theslots of the standards and detents in the upper ends of the standards toengage uptilted ends of the bar, substantially as described.

2. In a marker for planters, the combination of a pair ofvertically-slotted standards one on each side of the longitudinal centerof the planter, a marker-bar longitudinally movable and verticallytiltable in the slots of the standards, such bar having notches in andstops on its uppersurface, and detents pivoted in the upper ends of thestandards with their lower ends presented downward and toward each otherand terminating above the bar when the bar rests in ahorizontal positionin the slots, substantially as described.

3. In a markerfor planters, the combination of a runner-shoe attachableto a markerbar, a loop embracing the shoe and eXtend-.

